Impact of Kono‐S anastomosis on quality of life after ileocolic resection in Crohn's disease: an analysis from the SuPREMe‐CD trial

Aim Crohn's disease has debilitating effects on patients' quality of life. Currently, there are limited data on the effect of anastomotic configuration on health‐related quality of life after ileocaecal resection for Crohn's disease. This study aimed to assess the impact of Kono‐S anastomosis on quality of life after ileocolic resection, compared to the conventional side‐to‐side anastomosis. Method Patients with primary or recurrent Crohn's disease participating in the ongoing SuPREMe‐CD trial were interviewed about quality of life using the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ). The primary endpoint was disease‐specific quality of life, assessed with IBDQ. Secondary outcomes were quality of life related to bowel symptoms, systemic symptoms, social function and emotional function. Results Of the 94 patients included, 51 (54%) received the conventional side‐to‐side anastomosis and 43 (46%) the Kono‐S anastomosis. Demographics were comparable between the two groups. The IBDQ was assessed at a mean follow‐up of 54.0 ± 18.7 months from surgical intervention. The mean total IBDQ score was 155.1 ± 28.07 in the conventional group and 163.8 ± 25.23 in the Kono‐S group (P = 0.11). When considering bowel symptoms and social function, mean scores were 50.7 and 23.5 in the conventional group, and 56.3 and 26.5 in the Kono‐S group (P = 0.002 and P = 0.02, respectively). Kono‐S anastomosis was independently associated with improved quality of life regarding bowel symptoms (P = 0.006) and social function (P = 0.03) after correcting for other confounding factors on linear regression analysis. Conclusion Compared to conventional side‐to‐side anastomosis, patients with Kono‐S anastomosis presented significantly better bowel symptoms and social function scores at 54 months after surgery.